Conspiracy Theory
by Yellowtail555
Summary: Dom's in her last year and there are rumors going around the school, more rumors than normal. Someone's been putting up bulletins in all of the common rooms advertising them. To make matters worse, the Daily Prophet has recruited her to run an article on these rumors as part of her application process and so she's running all over the school to find something to secure the job.
1. Prologue

_I feel like I need to clarify a few things first. To begin with, this story shall stay mostly canon _except _for one detail. James may have said that Teddy was snogging Vic, but to make the ages work… he was snogging Molly instead. Switch the names and you'll be fine. Some of the characters might seem weird because of personalities or ages but remember… barely anything is concrete. _

_Part two of this unfortunately long author's note: I don't know when I'll update this because I have school, soccer, drama, etc. But as long as it stays interesting/fun to write, it shall be updated eventually. Don't worry. If you want to suggest something/want me to just update already, just PM me. I love PMs, they make me feel loved :P Enjoy and please, please, please (I can't stress this enough) review. I want to know what I'm doing right, wrong, and your favorite line. You could just review with that. But I digress. Here's "Conspiracy Theory"-_

Dominique's first train ride to Hogwarts had been unfortunately long, it seemed. She wished she have had someone to tell her to pack a book for the trip or even, Merlin, just a cousin to sit with when she couldn't find any first years who wanted her to sit with them. She was stuck in a compartment with a group of second year Ravenclaws who didn't care if she sat with them as long as she was quiet. Dom had never had to be quiet at home, she may have been lectured a bit too much on how to be a good role model for her little sister and brother, but she could still run through the house screaming and play tag and have water balloon fights with Vic, who was nine and still old enough to throw the balloons but too young to have any aim.

She was stuck in a boat with a nasty boy who kept trying to push one of the girls into the lake, a girl who rode in the front with the confidence of someone who had an older sibling already there, and a boy who was staring at Dom over the back of his Siamese cat.

"You're Dominique Weasley."

She faltered. "Err… yeah. I am. Nice detective work."

He stuck out a hand. "Tyler Beld."

She shook her head. "I don't shake hands."

"Look at that," the girl in the front of the boat said, "The little Weasley thinks she's better than us. Isn't that right?"

"No, I just-" Dom, in that moment, wished she'd never come to Hogwarts. She wished that she'd never got separated on the train from him, and she wished that she'd found the second year Hufflepuffs, with him among them, to sit with instead of the Ravenclaws.

Once they reached the school, they were shuffled off to a separate chamber from the rest of the school and Dom, happy that Teddy had mentioned the Sorting Hat, last winter at the Burrow, knew that she would be one of the last to be called.

Once they were escorted up to the front of the room, Dom was way too busy searching the crowded hall for Teddy, who waved from her from his table, to concentrate on the actual Sorting. She knew that she'd tell Molly everything she could about Hogwarts at the next holiday because her cousin was going next year and she needed someone, other than Teddy who they only really saw during the holidays with the Potter family, to tell her what to expect. Vic'd probably want to listen in, too. She was going to Hogwarts in two years, with James, and she was excited about it.

She'd been trying to convince their mum to let her get her wand two years early but as soon as that idea was shot down, she wanted to get her own textbooks, instead. Their mum had been trying to explain that she'd just use Dom's textbooks but that Dom needed them that year, when she had wanted to get an owl. That had been where Dom had wandered off to go look at potion's ingredients while their dad explained that Dom only got an owl as a going away present and that Vic would get one in two years.

"Weasley? Weasley? Hello? Dominique Weasley, are you here?"

Dom realized she'd been staring down at her feet, trying to plan out exactly what she'd tell Molly, and that they must have been calling her name for at least the last five minutes. She blushed and hurried to the stool where she accepted the hat and avoided looking at a very annoyed Professor Patil.

_Quite the daydreamer, aren't you?_

"Shut up!"

She realized, too late, that she'd spoken aloud and she knew people must be doing or saying _something_ out in the hall but all she could hear was the laugh of the Hat and the only thing in front of her was blackness.

_I mean… shut up._

_Strong-willed, are you?_

_No. Just frustrated._

_So then you're a-_

_Can you tell me? Now, in my head, before you shout it out to the world. I need to know a second before them, I just…_

_RAVENCLAW!_

_But I'm not smart!_

_You're been Sorted, go!_

She went. She placed the Sorting Hat down on the stool and hurried down the steps to the Ravenclaw table. The girl from earlier glared at her from the Gryffindor table but she ignored her, staring straight ahead as the rest of the Sorting continued. Not two minutes later, though, someone made their way over to her and tapped her on the shoulder. She turned, expecting Teddy but instead it was Tyler, from the boat.

"Yes?"

"Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"Are you as much of a bitch as they say?"

It was only ten minutes at Hogwarts and Dom was already the Weasley bitch. She was not looking forward to the rest of her first year.


	2. Chapter One

_I feel so stupid for not mentioning this but that was the prologue so the actual story will take place six years later, during Dom's seventh year. The common room information isn't canon, per say, but it's not… not canon, either. And now… Chapter One:_

The Ravenclaw room appeared emptier than usual when Dom made her way down the stairs from the girl's dormitory. The dome-shaped room's top floor, which was normally crowded with people due to the armchairs and desks being located up there, was practically empty. She peered down the spiral staircase and spotted a big mob of black robes and different shades of hair.

"Oi! Dommie!" Her little sister, Vic, was standing on the last step, waving up at her. "Get down here!"

"Don't call me that, Vicky. You're fifteen now."

Another person joined the blonde fifth year. An all too familiar person. "Yeah, Dommie!"

"TYLER!"

"I was right, back in first year. She is as much as a bitch as they say."

"Just wait until I get down there and I'll hit you myself! Smack him, Vic!"

"Are we really bringing violence into this?" their first year cousin, Lucy, joined the group as Dom held up her long robes, which she got a year ago in the hopes of a growth spurt, and ran down the last part of the way.

"We are if he's bringing up that stupid reputation!"

"The stupid reputation that half the school believes?" Vic smiled at Tyler behind Lucy's back.

"It'd be more if the other half of the school wasn't directly related to you."

Dom swung out at him but Juliet Dunbar moved across the room and grabbed her arm mid-air. "Honestly," she snapped, "you'd think that our seventh years would know better than to invoke violence to settle disputes. Although, it is you two, but think of the example you're setting for our younger Ravenclaws." She gestured to Lucy and Vic, her Head Girl badge nearly swinging off due to the movement.

"Blah, blah, I'm a bitch. Okay, cool. I think I'm caught up." Dom nodded. "What's everyone doing here?"

"There's a new announcement on the bulletin board!"

"You're gonna try out for Quidditch? Sorry, Luce, you don't seem the type. Or is it chess club? Hey, Vic, has Flit arrived back with a letter by any chance?"

"Keep track of your own owl!"

"But I need to know if the_ Prophet_ accepted my application."

Lucy waved her arms, jumping up and down. Dom may have not been particularly tall but Lucy was still the shortest of the bunch by far. "Hello! It's not that kind of announcement!"

Tyler nodded. "It's not, Dommie."

"Stop calling me that."

"Your sister does."

"Yes, but the keywords there are 'my sister'. Are you my sister, Ty? I sure hope not."

"But I'm your best friend."

"Best _male_ friend. Which really puts you down a few pegs, I'm afraid. You see I have Abigail, not to mention quite a few female cousins, all of whom I prefer over you. Lets see… Vic, Lucy, Rose- or, err… not really Rose or Lily, Molly, and Roxy. You're down four pegs, already."

"Anyway!" Lucy interrupted, "Here!"

She thrust the paper at Dom, who leaned against the railing of the staircase to read it.

_The Ministry is hiding._

_Oh, you may not believe me but hear me out. These rules, the laws that tell us that underage witches and wizards aren't allowed to use magic outside of school, they're holding us back. They know that as a force, Hogwarts is much more powerful that they can ever hope to be. They've already been made to look like idiots by us once, when Harry Potter was right, and they don't want kids to show them up again._

_But we can. Think about it. Who gets elected Minister? Adults. Why not us? We might not know as many spells as them or be able to use magic outside of Hogwarts but we're just as capable at deciding what's best for the community. Now, I'm not going to tell you who should run, because really… it's up to you. In two months, we'll hold a school wide vote for Minister and then, together, we'll get someone into office._

_Please, think about it. Are you with me?_

Dom turned it over but that was all. Unsigned.

"An… interesting idea."

"I think it's brilliant!" Lucy exclaimed. "It's all true."

Tyler and Vic nodded but Dom shook her head. "We're kids, we have to let adults make the decisions. It's just… it's how it works."

"Some things need to change, Dommie."

She didn't stop him that time but sighed. "I don't like it."

* * *

Flit interrupted History of Magic class by swooping in and dropping a letter by Dom's foot, as if to hide the mail. Professor Binns, who may have never noticed, only realized when a bored Gryffindor hit her owl with his quill and the off-balance bird slammed into his desk. Dom hurried up the aisle to grab him and regretted it immediately. Professor Binns, despite being transparent, could still glare at her.

"Five points from Ravenclaw, Weasley, for your owl's horrible timing. Where was I?"

Dom hurried over to the window and threw Flit out of it, before returning to her desk. It was a letter from the _Prophet_ which Tyler, who sat next to her, had picked up. She grabbed it from him, roughly and peeled it open under her desk.

_Dear Ms. Weasley,_

_While we wish we could offer you a spot at our office, we are rather crowded at the moment and will have to decline your request. We suggest trying Witch Weekly, Transfiguration Today, or a similar paper._

_We thank you for your consideration and would love to have you apply again in the future._

She threw down the letter in disgust, ignoring the 'sincerely' all together.

"Nothing?"

"Nope. They're 'rather crowded'."

"That sucks. Can I see?"

She handed it over. "Don't you dare laugh."

He turned it over. "Look at the back, idiot."

"What?"

"My older sister got one of these. It's kind of a test of sorts. They want to make sure you're observant. For you, that should get a 'T'."

The period ended and she jumped to her feet and threw her arms around him. "_Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank-"_

"I swear to Merlin, Dom, if you don't stop…"

"I thought you wanted my thanks."

"Well, you'd be wrong. I know you might be shocked by that but the rest of us aren't."

She let go and followed him out of the room. In sloppy blue ink on the backside of the paper, the letter read:

_Congratulations, you did it! _

_You've proved that you're more observant than most of the applicants we get here. You wouldn't imagine the number of witches and wizards who won't even bother to turn over the letter. That's the first thing to learn, always turn over the paper. Always check everything. Details make the story. And write down everything you discover, we've all thought we could remember something and then can't when we're called to write the article._

_But that's beside the point. Welcome to the Daily Prophet acceptance program. Just because you've found this doesn't mean you're getting in. Not at all. First, you must prove yourself capable of writing an article. We've seen your grades and your sample writing, Ms. Weasley, but now you have to write about what _we_ tell you to write, under _our_ restrictions. Have fun!_

_Your assignment is to write a series of articles on the mysterious notes that have been popping up on your school bulletin boards. Interview people, ask questions, follow leads. You're a mini detective now, act like it. We've been doing some detective work of our own and we have our own ways to find stories. But this is _you _proving yourself so you're going to have to figure this out on your own. We expect our first article in two weeks time and then weekly articles until we either say you can stop or this whole mystery has been unwoven. Remember, every week means that you're going to have to find something to fascinate readers each time. You're our intern now, everything will be published. So make it good._

It was unsigned and the paragraphs were cramped together but Dom didn't care. She was being considered and she had an article. An article which would be _published_. And people would read it and maybe even talk about it to their friends or think about it and it would be out there. Out in the world.

Let the mission begin.


	3. Chapter Two

_So, now that NaNo is over, I was planning to do just, like, three straight hours of writing and get my homework and fanfics out of the way but then I realized… I wrote the next chapter of this before November and then totally let myself forget about it. So… here it is. I don't really remember what happens in it but I know I made Sara beta is so I'm sure it's fine as it is. I'll read it when I'm less busy. And yes, expect a ton of one-shots coming up. And enjoy! _

"Dommie! Dommie! Dommie! Dom-"

"Shut _up, _Louis!"

Her brother skidded to a spot, nearly in tears. "I couldn't answer the riddle for the common room and I've already been here for a month, and I can't do it and… I shouldn't be in Ravenclaw!"

"Yes, you should, Louis. Come on, I bet there are others who couldn't get in. We all miss it sometimes, and have to rely on others to get it for us. If it takes us more than two hours to answer it, we go find Professor Patil and she'll answer it for us."

"Really?"

"Of course. We're not geniuses. Come on, you have to know that we're not. You live with Vicky and me."

She puts down the parchment she'd been using for her potions essay and slides her supplies into her bag. He followed her, his feet pounding up the stairs. She hops over a trick stair and slides down a corridor and through a door behind a painting, waving at the people in the scene, before arriving at the back of a mob of students.

The Head of Ravenclaw was already there, giving a few hints to a hesitant second year who'd been elected to give the answer. The brown haired twelve year old straightened her uniform and declared the group's answer to be: "They were all married".

"What was the riddle?"

"Four men were in a boat on the lake. The boat turns over, and all four men sink to the bottom of the lake, yet not a single man got wet. Why?"

Dom shrugged. "See, you're not as stupid as you think."

"Dommie! Stop it!"

"Whatever, I have to talk to Professor Patil."

She pushed through the crowd and grabbed the Arithmancy professor before she could leave.

"Excuse me, Professor, I was wondering if I could interview you."

"What is it, Ms. Weasley? Can it wait? I have papers to grade."

"I'm sorry, Ma'am, but it's for the _Daily Prophet_. I've been accepted into their intern program!" She couldn't help bouncing a little on the balls of her feet to punctuate the last sentence.

"That's wonderful." The teacher shifted some papers to the other arm and pushed open her office door with her hip. "I'll see what I can do for you, okay?"

"Oh! Thank you!"

"But, Ms. Weasley, could I ask you a favor in exchange?"

"I- sure."

"I have this new Ravenclaw first year who is having… problems adjusting to Hogwarts and I figured who better to help her out then you- who went through a similar thing in your first year and who has cousins about her age."

"I… but, um, not to say no, Professor, but wouldn't Juliet Dunbar be better? I mean, she's Head Girl and she's a bit of a better… err… role model."

"I understand your reluctance, but Ms. Dunbar is taking more classes than she can honestly handle and I feel you'd understand this child better."

"I'll err…"

"You can think about it, Dominique."

Dom gulped at her teacher's use of her first name and sighed. "I'll give it a shot."

Professor Patil sat down, shuffling through papers and yet Dom still had the impression that she had the teacher's upmost attention. "Good. Thank you, Ms. Weasley."

"So… can I ask you about those letters that have been showing up on the school bulletin boards?"

Her arithmancy teacher stood up so quickly, that Dominique worried for a second that she'd trip over the chair backwards. The Head was normally calmer than this and Dom wondered if perhaps she should have asked Professor Longbottom.

"Oh, is that what your article is about? Very well, as long as someone gets to the bottom of it, I guess that's good."

Dominique went silent, pretending to re-read her questions even though she was fairly certain she had them memorized.

"Okay… umm… what was your response to these papers?"

"I took them down as soon as I saw them. Things like that are the last thing we need. We were supposed to have a peaceful year." Dom thought that the last part might have been whining but teacher's didn't whine so she ignored it.

"No, I suppose not. And… has the staff discussed this?"

"Yes, but I don't believe I can give details. You'd have to ask the Headmistress."

"Are all of the announcements down?"

"All the ones in the common rooms."

"And do you have any idea when they were put up?"

"Between midnight, when I checked to make sure people were sleeping or studying, and whenever everyone got up in the morning. Are we nearly done?"

"Just one more question."

"Yes?"

"Can I have the paper?"

The older women rummaged through the recycling and pulled out the sheet. "If this goes around, you'd better expect detention."

"It won't!"

"Good. Meet the girl at the library at six. She's got brown hair and her name's Lindsay Wells. You'll know her when you see you."

That probably should have worried Dom more than it did but she started to realize what she'd signed up for when she arrived.

"Ms. Wells! Ms- Don't do that!"

The librarian dashed past Dominique and she hurried after her, recognizing the name of the first year she was supposed to be watching. Maybe this was what Professor Patil meant by recognizing the girl.

A tall brown girl sat on one of the shelves of the bookcase, her legs hanging down and her head ducked.

"Is that Lindsay Wells?" Dom asked the librarian in a whisper, hoping this was just the girls sister or cousin or-

"The one and only. Get down from there!"

The girl jumped, slowing down her fall midair and drifting gracefully to the ground.

"Oh! I've heard about you."

Dom backed up. "You have?"

"Of course. You're the Ravenclaw bitch." The girl grinned but it wasn't a happy expression, it just looked sinister. "I'm here to take your place."


End file.
